Current and Potential Applications of Wearables in Sports Cardiology

AbstractPurpose of the reviewCommercial wearable biosensors are commonly used among athletes and highly active individuals, although their value in sports cardiology is not well established. In this review, we discuss the evidence for the current applications of wearables and provide our outlook for promising future directions of this emerging field.Recent findingsThe integration of routine assessment of physiological parameters, activity data, and features such as electrocardiogram recording has generated excitement over a role for wearables to help diagnose and monitor cardiovascular disease. Presently, however, there are significant challenges limiting their routine clinical use. While studies suggest that wearable-derived data may help guide training, evidence for the use of wearables in guiding exercise regimens for individuals with cardiovascular disease is lacking. Further, there is a paucity of data to demonstrate its efficacy in detecting exercise-related arrhythmias or conditions associated with sudden cardiac death. Nevertheless, future technological developments may lead to a greater potential for wearables to aid in sports cardiology practice.SummaryThe ability to collect vast amounts of physiological information can help athletes personalize training regimens. However, interpretation of these data and separating the signal from the noise are paramount, especially when used in a clinical setting. While there are currently no standardized approaches for the use of...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Cardiovascular Medicine - Category: Cardiology Source Type: research